#commander mars

Cynthia watched as May and Cassidy left the Spear Pillar in the direction of Oreburgh.

“Let’s go then,” Mars said.

“Wait,” Cynthia said.

“For what?”

Not long afterwards, Agent Detective Looker arrived at the Spear Pillar, and found Champion Cynthia detaining Commander Mars, but there was no sign of Cyrus, or Saturn or Jupiter.

“Cyrus has disappeared,” Cynthia said. “But Mars is turning herself in.”

Looker turned to Mars. “Are you willing to tell us everything you know?”

“Cyrus betrayed us!” Mars said with annoyance. “Of course.”

“Then come with us.”

A while later, May breathed a sigh of relief as she sighted Oreburgh near the bottom of the slopes below. “We definitely made a difference.”

“We did,” Cassidy confirmed.

“Everyone’s safe.”

“You said that back there.”

“I mean, my family and friends, including those I made as I travelled all over Hoenn. They are safe,” May clarified.

Cassidy looked at her. “I get it. I was thinking of my family and friends too. Of course, my relationship with Giovanni is just professional.”

“Then I’m sure he’ll understand if I add to what Cynthia told you.”

“That Rocket is unwelcome in Hoenn?”

“Yes,” May responded.

“You can tell him yourself, as we’re stopping over in Lavender Town again.”

“I will.”

By the time they reached Oreburgh, the distortions had almost entirely vanished. The slightly disguised Team Rocket aircraft was still where it had landed hours earlier. The crew were getting it ready to go as Cassidy boarded.

May turned to Dawn, who had followed them down the mountain.

“Thanks for being there,” Dawn said, with a glanced back at the mountain.

“I’m sure, that even if Giovanni didn’t send us, you and Cynthia would have prevailed,” May said as encouragement.

“Most likely.”

May boarded the aircraft after farewelling Dawn.

“The distortions have cleared up such that we can be back in Kanto in a few hours,” Cassidy said.

“Good. I want to get this over with.”

“Telling Giovanni that Hoenn is off limits.”

“Exactly,” May said as she sat down and looked back at Mount Coronet, where the reddish hue of the setting Sun was reflecting off of the mountain.

A few hours later, they landed in Lavender Town, which looked a lot creepier in the dark, despite the Moon being near full.

“It is obvious that you succeeded,” Giovanni said. “But how did it go?”

“Cynthia was there,” Cassidy reported. “Afterwards she said that Sinnoh is under her protection. That Rocket is not welcome.”

Giovanni didn’t look surprised. “I knew that she would say that. But we will continue in Sinnoh as we have been.”

May cleared her throat. “I would like to add to that.”

“I have some idea of what you’re going to say,” Giovanni responded.

“I’m going to say it anyway. Team Rocket is not welcome in Hoenn. I will be warning Steven Stone and the League that you might be making moves.”

“You want to make a deal?” Giovanni asked.

“Yes. But I’m not agreeing to just anything.”

“I knew you wouldn’t.”

“I want you to stay out of Hoenn, and abide by what Cynthia told Cassidy,” May said.

“What do I get out of it?”

May paused. She knew that he would demand something.

“In return for leaving Hoenn alone and not operating openly in Sinnoh, you will have to do me a favor.”

“Sir?” Cassidy asked.

“What kind of favor?” May asked warily.

“You will know when I call it in, but suffice it to say that for now, I have no plans for Hoenn and nothing open for Sinnoh,” Giovanni responded.

‘It could be anything,’ May considered. But it was worth it to keep Hoenn and Sinnoh safe! “Deal!”

Around midnight, the quiet of Littleroot Town was interrupted by the whine of the Kantonian/Team Rocket aircraft landing near Caroline and May’s house.

Caroline opened the door to find May waiting. “May!”

May looked tired. “Hey Mum,” she said. “It’s been a long day.”

“What happened in Sinnoh?”

May entered and closed the door behind her. “We saved the world.”

“But there’s more, isn’t there?”

“Yes.”

Caroline took it all in. That Cyrus was certainly a piece of work; worse than Maxie and Archie.

“There’s something else.”

“Come to the kitchen.”

May sipped the cocoa. “I have made a deal with Giovanni to protect Hoenn.”

“What kind of a deal?”

“That he would leave this region and Sinnoh alone, in return for a future favour, which he didn’t specify.”

Caroline could tell that her daughter wasn’t holding anything back and was afraid. “You did what you could to protect your region. But it doesn’t give him a hold over you, even if you worry about what the favor might be.”

May then hugged her, while beginning to cry. “Thanks, Mum!”

Mars put Cyrus down on his feet, peeled out of Mew2.1, and hugged him, pressing her face against his chest. “Ha. You knew I’d come through.”

“No, I didn’t,” Cyrus asserted. Mars broke away from him, confused. “You stole a powerful bioweapon from Team Rocket. You defeated a champion and a God while acting as your own Pokémon. You went against Giratina’s will to bring me back.  As far as I knew, the probability of anyone being capable of that was zero.”

Mars blushed, feeling confused and vaguely attacked. Every time she visited The Distortion World between her escape and now, he’d shown nothing but faith in her, even as he became more and more distorted. “Huh?”

“I made you a commander because I trust you to do well. But you’ve done the impossible- more than I could have predicted for anyone. From that, I predict that you’ll be one of the greatest evil team leaders of all time.”

“I… I guess you’re right.” As far as Mars knew, no one had done something like this. Something that, apparently, Cyrus wouldn’t have even attempted. She smiled. “Y’know, you’re absolutely terrible at compliments. But thanks. Can’t wait for you to promote me tonight.”

Cyrus nodded approvingly. “Once we’re back at the base, it’ll be the first thing we do.”

“Jupiter won’t be too long. The Neo Galactic base isn’t far from here. You’re gonna like what she’s done with it. She really stepped up the whole sci-fi thing. Very stylish. And Charon’s still on the team, too. He’ll pretend he’s not happy to see you, but he is.”

“Excellent. I had faith in the three of you. And Saturn? Does he know yet that I am still alive, and did that change his mind on abandoning the team?”

Mars looked away nervously. “Ehh… we’ll talk about that later.”

Cyrus nodded in acceptance. There was much yet to be spoken- most importantly, tomorrow’s invasion by Team Rocket. She’d tell him about that as soon as Jupiter got here- she’d been preparing for that while Mars took on Lucas and Giratina, so she’d have a lot more information about where things stood. The other thing she hadn’t mentioned yet was Cyrus’ crobat. Most likely, he’d assumed it was dead. Mars didn’t want to be the one to explain it, and she did want to brag a little about all it had taken her to get to this point, so her next move was obvious.

“Anyways. More status updates later. For now, I wanna tell you how I escaped from Team Rocket. It’s a doozy, so buckle in.”

Cyrus had never been much of a conversationalist, and he never got tired of Mars’ voice, so the next few minutes were of him listening as Mars told him all about her misadventures. Before Mars had gotten to the part where she’d narrowly escaped from Giovanni’s mansion, Jupiter pulled up in an unmarked vehicle. When she opened the door, a purple bat sprang out. It crawled on the ground at first, in the clumsy way crobats do when they’re grounded, and then pushed off and flapped over to his trainer. Slowly. Awkwardly. No one would need to explain that, barring a miracle, it would never battle or be ridden again. But it was alive and happy. It knocked into him with a three-winged hug.

“Someone’s here to see you,” Jupiter teased.

Cyrus’ face read shock as he petted its head, and Mars couldn’t blame him. She would’ve been the same mess if this had happened to her purugly.

Before long, they were on the way back to the base with Mew2.1 in the backseat, carefully stored to prevent damage. Its most crucial use had been completed, but there were two more things they needed it for: defending against Team Rocket and handling the red chain.

From the moment the trio first stepped out of the vehicle, there were a lot of stunned and lit-up eyes on them. Many cries of “he’s back!” and “you did it!” Mars ordered the first grunt she saw to gather everyone in the auditorium, and after Jupiter had briefed Mars and Cyrus on what was known of tomorrow’s invasion and what preparations had been made, the three made their way to the stage.

When Cyrus entered the auditorium, it fell silent. Well, Mars supposed that all three of them were entering the room, but she knew it was Cyrus they’d gone quiet for. Once they heard that she was the one spearheading the new world, would they respect her the same way?

Cyrus took to the mic and spoke. “Members of Team Neo Galactic, I have returned- not as your leader, but as a loyal commander to my commander of many years and my rescuer- Mars. I have seen her do what no previous evil team leader has ever accomplished, and you may take it as my final command as Galactic Boss that you put your faith in her as your new leader.”

To Mars’ relief, the crowd cheered. It was uneasy cheering- the kind people do because they’re supposed to- but cheering nonetheless. Maybe they’d seen the change coming with how Mars had been training to take over.

“Now. As you already know, Team Rocket is at our doorstep. But we are not their inferiors. We have risen from the ashes just as they have, we have captured legendaries more powerful than their region contains, and we have the power of Mew2.1 and Giratina on our side. When we face them tomorrow, it will not be with despair but with rage that they would dare stand against us.”

Cyrus stepped back from the podium, and Jupiter stepped up to it.

“Alright. You know the drill. Mars will defend the entrance with Mew2.1 and our best trainers. Cyrus will keep an eye on the security feeds and dispatch the reserves where needed. A selected team of you will be manning the turrets with me. And Charon will hunker down in the labs with all our secret documents in case we have to destroy them. You understand?”

There was a chorus of “Yes, ma’ams.”

“Good. Let’s roll out.”

Team Galactic moved with precision and efficiency- the likes of which is rarely seen until one’s life depends on it. Before long, everyone was armed to the teeth: guns loaded, Pokémon ready for blood, and supplies nearby. Mars, within Mew2.1 and with the black flute at her hip, perched on a rocky outcropping and scanned the distance. She waited- alone, nearly trembling with terror, but knowing that her three loyal commanders were waiting with her.

The sun rose. Grunts grew restless as the invasion failed to show. Lunch was ordered in. Murky drinks were downed to stay alert. The sun began to set. There was nothing.

“What is their play?” Jupiter grumbled into her headset, drinking the mind-altering sludge that commanders usually left for the grunts as she looked out the window of the turret. “Did they just… want us to stand around that badly or what?”

No one knew the answer to that. And as the sun rose that morning, it was accepted that all that could be done was to move on. Heightened security remained for a few weeks, then even that fell by the wayside, and Team Galactic could fully focus on its mission.

Months later, the new red chain was completed, and not without effort. Mesprit was under Lucas’ care, and kidnapping it- even temporarily- was a major hassle. The other two lake guardians, now under government protection, were no easier. Nonetheless, they succeeded, creating a red chain that was bigger, stronger, and hopefully safer than the last. Finally, it had come time to test the hypothesis: with Mew2.1, could Mars handle it painlessly? 

The other commanders spoke occasionally as they waited for Mars to report for the experiment, but Cyrus’ eyes stayed focused on that string of perfectly-cut red gems as it glowed in its containment chamber, radiating heat. It looked like a necklace fit for a twenty-foot-tall Goddess.

Cyrus remembered how it had felt to channel that power. According to myth, the hero of Hisui had wielded a red chain without pain. But her red chain had been forged with the help of the lake guardians, not against their wills. It had been made only to contain the power of Dialga and Palkia, not to allow a human to use it. And the hero of Hisui had been pure of heart and intent. It had occurred to him, perhaps foolishly, as the chain burned his hands and the power of Dialga and Palkia felt likely to melt him like a copper wire channeling too much voltage, that the chain itself might have sensed his malice and rejected him, like a fire-type that intensifies its fire to ward off predators. Now, he hoped that was true. If it were, then it would be easier on Mars not only because of Mew2.1, but because of her goodness.

Mars. Cyrus had spent the past few months as her advisor. They had been good months. He had thought of asking her to recreate him as he had planned on recreating himself- as something incapable of irrationality and pain. But he knew she would never agree to it. And after he’d given his crobat a mechanical wing and seen it fly more comfortably for the first time since its mutilation- not enough for battle or riding but enough for quality of life- he… he wasn’t sure what he wanted. The other commanders still attended Mars’ meetings on the details of the new world, but he’d decided to simply trust her. His existence, along with everyone’s, would be in her hands soon, and he’d accept whatever she decided.

Mew2.1 floated into the room, Mars within it. It had been improved over the last several months as well- its skin toughened, comms added so that they could communicate with Mars even at a distance. She put its hand over the chain.

What did it feel like? Mars asked Cyrus, nervousness in her voice. When you held it, I mean.

“That’s irrelevant,” Cyrus assured her. “I was merely human. You’re wearing a creature meant to channel godlike power, and its defenses have reached their potential now. It won’t feel anything alike.” Theoretically.

Mars nodded, took a deep breath, and grabbed the chain. Steam rose from where her flesh met the gems. Not as much as Cyrus remembered from when he used it, but it was still an uncomfortable sight. Long seconds passed, tension thick in the air.

“If it’s hurting you, let go,” Cyrus instructed her. “We can make adjustments.”

It… doesn’t, Mars said, calm and upbeat. Then, without warning, she turned for the exit, chain still in hand and pushing the others back with her psychic powers. Cyrus, Jupiter, and Charon barely had time to get up off their backs before she was through the door.

“What are you doing?” Jupiter yelled as the three ran after her. Mew2.1 didn’t even turn its neck back to see them.

Cyrus ran for Center Control. There were three possibilities as to why Mars had taken off. One, and most hopeful- she’d decided it was time to put their plan into motion. Two, and completely manageable- Mew2.1 was having a strange reaction to the red chain. Three, and most horrifying- they’d been playing right into Team Rocket’s hands all along.

“Sir!” called out a panicked grunt. “We’ve detected a strange signal. It seems to originate from Johto and is hitting us head-on, but… we can’t figure out what it’s doing!”

Cyrus didn’t bother to respond. He just pushed his way into the seat of command. “Jupiter, where is she?” Cyrus asked through the comms. On screen, a purple dot representing Mew2.1 seemed to be moving out of the base and south of Mount Coronet… and the strange signal seemed to be adjusting its direction towards it.

“She fled the base,” Jupiter answered. “I’m going after her by helicopter.”

So it was as he feared: Team Rocket had taken control of Mew2.1, and they were using it to steal the red chain. Cyrus wasn’t sure how they were doing this- spies, nanobots, pre-existing hardware in Mew2.1- but now wasn’t the time for speculation.

“No,” Cyrus commanded. “Mew2.1 brought down Giratina. It could destroy a helicopter in seconds. Use an unmarked vehicle.”

“You got it,” Jupiter responded.

With that, Cyrus contacted Mars. “Mars. You’re under the control of a strange signal, seemingly from Team Rocket. We’re going to disrupt it and get you free. Speak to me once it’s worked.” 

Cyrus stood up and turned to the grunts in the room. “Where is our signal blocker?” Cyrus asked. 

The grunts looked at each other awkwardly. “We don’t have one, sir.”

“What do you mean, ‘we don’t have one’?” Cyrus snapped. His body trembled with energy. If only he were back at the original base, he’d know where everything was and there’d be no delay.

“We… thought we’d win the old one back in court,” a female grunt admitted, head bowed and teeth grit. “Getting a new one just wasn’t top priority.”

Cyrus’ mind raced to find another way to save Mars. “Gather all the psychic Pokémon you can. Every single one in Team Galactic,” Cyrus ordered.

The order was spread over the intercom, and before long, kadabras, bronzors, and the odd meditite or espeon were gathered on the floor of Center Control. Even a few golbat and zubat who knew confusion were there to help out. Cyrus had no experience with psychic types, so he kept an eye on the comms while Charon guided them to use their collective psychic abilities to disrupt the signal.

“She’s passed the border into Johto,” Jupiter announced over the comms. “Might have to shoot some border agents if I don’t wanna lose her.”

On the monitor, the radio waves were distorting, bending away from their intended target. They could still reach her, but barely. They bent away from the purple dot, then further, then…

I could hear you, Mars said in Mew2.1’s voice. Is it safe to come back?

“Yes,” Cyrus said, relieved. The purple dot, which had already stopped, began coming back.

“No, it’s not!” Charon snapped. “These psychic types can’t keep this up forever!”

Cyrus turned to the room of Pokémon and saw the strain on their faces. One zubat fell from the air and landed on a kadabra’s tired face. Unfortunately, Charon was right.

Charon spoke into his own headset. “Mars, you need to get out of Mew2.1. If they could pilot it without you in it, they’d have done so by now. Jupiter can pick you, Mew2.1 and the red chain up in her truck.”

“Yeah, about that,” Jupiter cut in. “There’s a whole fleet of Rocket trucks and balloons here, and we’re still on the Johto side of the border. With Mew2.1, we’ve got this. But if she gets out of it or we lose control of her, we’re dead meat.”

I know what to do, came Mars’ voice.

The next voice on the comms was Jupiter’s. “She’s landing… okay, we’ll cover her. She’s taking out the flute… oh my God… Mars, that’s genius!” A mighty roar sounded over the comms. “Giratina’s looking after Team Rocket. We can start heading back. Mars? MARS!”

Cyrus looked back at the screen. The dot representing Mew2.1 was moving back towards Mount Coronet. “Mars? Are you in control of yourself?”

There was no response.

The map no longer showed the signal from before. Cyrus checked different frequencies and found nothing. He was blind to what Team Rocket might be doing. And he only knew one way to block all the signals at once. He handed off his headset to Charon and picked up the phone.

—

Saturn had been in a meeting with Roark about sustainable energy when the phone sounded. “Saturn,” Cyrus said with urgency. Saturn was halfway to hanging up the phone before he heard the next sentence. “Mars is in danger.”

Saturn pressed the phone against his ear. “What do you need from me?”

“Do you remember the device we used to jam the radio waves during my mission on Mount Coronet? Turn it on.”

Saturn hesitated. Was Cyrus lying? If he was, this would be the lie to manipulate him with.

“Do it or Mars will be dead and Team Rocket will own the red chain.”

Saturn took a couple shaky breaths. Roark got up and put a hand on his shoulder. “You okay, there?” he asked.

Saturn took off for the storage shed. He knew exactly where it was- that evil device he was planning to sell for parts. It didn’t take long for Saturn to plug it in and throw the switch. “Okay, is she safe? Can I turn it off?” Saturn asked, trying to keep his voice level.

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

“No,” Cyrus admitted. “I need more information. I’m going to contact her.” Quieter, as though he was farther from the phone, Saturn heard him say, “Mars. I need you to fight them. Break through for long enough to tell us what you need.”

There was a long pause. Then, Saturn heard Cyrus’ voice again, now eerily peaceful. “She’s safe. She’s… exactly where she needs to be.”

Just then, the ground rumbled, and through the thin windows of the warehouse, Saturn could see a curtain of darkness dim the sky, just as it had happened on the day Cyrus had used the red chain.

—

“We are safe,” were the first words Cyrus said as he hung up the phone. “We don’t have to worry about Mars’ safety, or Team Rocket, or anything else.” With that, every person and Pokémon in the room seemed to unclench.

I’m going to Mount Coronet, Mars had said. Don’t you get it? No matter how many times we fight them off, they’ll keep coming until there’s nothing left of us. But they won’t be able to come after us if I get this done now. I don’t need all the stuff you did to summon Dialga and Palkia. I’ll see you in the new world, Cyrus. You are safe.

Word of that reached all of Neo Team Galactic quickly. Drones were sent to watch over Mars’ progress and Giratina’s battle with Team Rocket. Some stayed in essential positions to ensure quick responses to any external threats, but the rest gathered in the auditorium to watch their leader transform the world. Many were excited, cheering. Some were as terrified as if the world was ending, and no amount of reassurance that they were going to a better place could soothe them.

Cyrus was curious. Could Mars create a world in which humans were human, that was actually worth living in? He didn’t know, but he was ready to find out. The tremors of the earth intensified, forcing him to kneel. He closed his eyes, likely for the last time on this earth. He heard a loud bang and several gasps from behind him, but he dismissed it as part of the world’s transformation.

Let’s see what you have in store, Mars.

“Where is she!?” cut in a furious voice. Many faces turned to see Saturn, breathing heavily. He stepped through a hole in the door that his kadabra had blasted open. Saturn marched right up to Cyrus and grabbed him by the collar. “Where is she? You said this was for her safety! What did you just make me do!?”

It was then that Saturn seemed to notice the screen behind him- there was Mew2.1, its eyes a hellish red, wielding Dialga and Palkia with the red chain like they were houndour on electrified leashes.

“That’s her,” Charon explained.

Saturn was stunned silent for a moment. Then, he grabbed Cyrus’ headset in one hand, grabbed his kadabra in the other, and had it form a force field around him. “Mars? Can you hear me? It’s Saturn.”

Saturn looked through the pinkish tinge of the forcefield and the multitude of fists and Pokémon trying to break it, trying to get a glimpse of the screen. Mars didn’t speak back, but the legendaries had stopped moving. It was as though she was listening for something.

“Mars. Listen to me. We live in a world of Gods and criminals, and the world comes close to ending every other year because of them. Young people get abandoned, and join up with whoever promises them a life. But it’s also a world where you can go out and make friends with any creature you see. Where you have so much power over your life so long as you have the ability to be a friend. And right now, you have more power than almost anyone in this world ever has. You can do whatever you want. Don’t you think you could… I don’t know… try and make this world better instead of doing what so evil teams before you have failed to do?”

The red in Mew2.1’s eyes faded, and the powerful creature looked almost vulnerable. It drew on for what felt like an eternity before Saturn decided to pull out the last trick in his bag.

“It could be the four of us again.”

There was another pause. Then, Mew2.1 disappeared, along with the red chain.

There was a flood of people running into Center Control, and the commanders and ex-commander were allowed to get in close to the map. Cyrus expanded its range. The purple dot was bouncing from one location to the next, all over Kanto and Johto, never staying in one place longer than forty seconds. There seemed to be no pattern to it, and there was no signal to disrupt on any channel, either. No one could make heads or tails of it.

“Coming through,” came Jupiter’s voice as she pushed to the front. “Team Rocket retreated. What’s the update on Mars?”

“She seems to be teleporting to random locations,” Cyrus explained.

Jupiter’s eyes narrowed as she observed the screen. “Rocket bases. I recognize them from my time with the armed forces.”

“What could she-”

Suddenly, Mew2.1 appeared in the base, holding Giovanni’s severed head. The red chain fell off of the charred remains of his neck, and Mars threw it down and peeled out of the suit.

“Sorry, took me a second to find him,” she said. Then she turned to Saturn with an icy smile. “Good thinking. I didn’t hate the world- I just hated my dad and people like him. And, I learned a whole lot from my time with Team Rocket. With their info and those things,” Mars pointed to Mew2.1 and the red chain, “we can do all kinds of good things for the world- including keeping other villains from destroying it. Team Rocket’s got tabs on a whole lot of them. And we can do it together.”

Saturn chuckled. “Yeah, well… Galactic Corps is important, too, so I’ll have to think on joining the team. But so long as you’re doing good, I’ll support you.”

---

Crobat unloaded itself from the truck once they arrived at the Neo Team Galactic Base, looking a fair bit more alive now thanks to the first aid. It crawled after the group in the silly, awkward way crobats did in areas they couldn’t fly, smiling doggishly.

Thank God we don’t have to carry him, Jupiter thought. She then turned her attention to the other truck, from which the grunts were unloading Mew2.1. It seemed undamaged. Good. Mission accomplished. She could tend to her own Pokémon team now. As she walked to the medical bay, she contacted Charon on her pokétch.

“Charon? Yeah, mission accomplished. We got Mew2.1. And Cyrus’ crobat, to boot. It felt too easy. Get a team of scientists over to the garage to do a thorough medical screening on both of them and make sure Team Rocket isn’t doing anything funny. And Mew2.1 will need a containment tube with appropriate fluids once you’re done with it. You’re the scientist, it’s covered in the goo it was floating in, do your chemical analysis thingy and make sure that Mew2.1 doesn’t disintegrate after all we did to get it here, capiche?”

Once that was done, Jupiter could go back to her usual routine.

It wasn’t too much later- forty minutes at most, when Charon approached Jupiter as she buffed out the scratches her bronzong had received in the last mission.

“Ahem- Master Jupiter? We’ve found something odd in the ribcage of the crobat you brought in.”

Jupiter buffed harder. “Urgh, what is it? A bomb? I knew those Rocket freaks were up to something…”

“Well, actually,” Charon said in that condescending voice of his, “it’s a tracking device. We put Crobat under, removed it, and sent one of the grunts to take it to a second location to confuse Team Rocket. But I can’t guarantee that the time the tracking device spent here won’t lead them to us.”

Jupiter stood up, growling, and yelled as she threw the rag across the floor.

“Of course,” Jupiter spat. “Of fucking course they would. Alright. We’ll tighten security. Let Mars know about this. And where exactly are you putting it?”

“Iron Island- I figured it would be deep enough to keep them occupied a good while. What confuses me, though, is why they put it in an easily-replacable crobat and not in Mew2.1.”

Charon’s comment, while disgusting, was entirely correct. If they hadn’t been able to remove the tracking device, they could’ve released Crobat. Mew2.1 would’ve been a lot harder to justify getting rid of, or even risk cutting open. But if they had left it to rot, or broken it, well…

“I think they wanted Mew2.1 intact,” Jupiter said. “I don’t know why. But that’s what it seems like.”

-

Weeks passed. Team Galactic was on high alert for an attack, but none came. No suspicious figures explored Iron Island, either. It was as though the tracker didn’t exist, and that Team Rocket had no interest in Mew2.1. Mars cautioned Jupiter against letting their guard down. Team Rocket tended to strike right when you felt safe.

Mars… Well, Mars was training, in every sense. Pokémon battles. The administrivia and minutiae of leadership. Learning to know it all, do it all, and make it look easy. And, of course, she was training in Mew2.1, which was showing great promise. After Charon had done a full analysis of the creature, it was decided that they would keep it if at all possible, and destroy it before allowing it in Team Rocket’s hands. It had the potential to handle the red chain without harm… or to do far worse things.

Charon had formulated a chemical mixture for its containment tube that was rapidly toughening its skin. But for the four hours a day that it was allowed out, Mars was using it. She’d strengthened her telekinesis and speed, and had learned to affect her Pokémon using its powers, giving them strange markings and enhanced strength and powers much like the original Mewtwo did for his own companions. And, as was very important for a psychic being, she learned to concentrate.

That’s where she was now, meditating on a snowy ridge on Mount Coronet while practicing her telekinesis. The boulders spun above her as Mars tried to concentrate. But as per usual, a thought gripped her.

Saturn offered me a way to get away from all this…

If she’d just gone straight with him in the beginning… it all could’ve been so easy. Someone else could’ve stopped Team Rocket- someone always did. If she hadn’t been so sold on the new world, on Cyrus, on the four of them… none of this would be her problem. Even now, she could destroy Mew2.1 so that no one could use it. But she also knew that turning away now that she might’ve led Team Rocket to Jupiter’s doorstep was something she could never do. Team Neo Galactic was impressive for a recovering team, but Team Galactic wasn’t a third of Team Rocket’s size even when Cyrus was around. Team Rocket would crush them if they didn’t have Mew2.1. Saturn had offered a ship out of this, but it had sailed back before this whole mess had expanded from saving her master to saving her team and the world.

And if she stopped, there’d be no chance of making it all worth it.

I will do it. I’ll bring about the new world. I’ll make all of it worth it.

…I wonder if Cyrus ever thought things like that, she thought. But, the boulders stayed in the air. Good. She was due to take on the champion in a week, by which she was assured that Mew2.1 would have tough enough skin to properly keep her safe.

When Mars returned to the base and peeled out of Mew2.1, the first thing she did was to check her pokétch. On it was a message from Archer that made her heart sink.

We know the location of your secret base. It is on the west side of Mount Coronet. Return Mew2.1 or face an invasion by Team Rocket at dawn, read the message’s first, terse paragraph. The second elaborated. You have run out of our mercy, Mars. Team Rocket has given up on you and will treat you no different from the rest of your team. Have Mew2.1 delivered to us at black market outpost 23b, and no blood will be shed.

For a while, all Mars could do was sit there, feeling her heart gallop in her chest. Alright, Mars decided, turning to put Mew2.1 back on again. Today it is. It was time to bring back Cyrus… and since she already intended to bring Giratina to its knees, she’d get Neo Team Galactic some new defenses while she was at it.

-

The door to the Pokémon League flew open, and Mew2.1 floated in, drawing the eyes of every worker and aspiring champion in the room. The nurse made a panicked reach for the phone, but Mars grabbed it with her telekinesis and threw it across the room. The bouncer muttered something barely coherent about badges before Mars stepped right past him. At the top of the first elevator, she locked eyes with a stunned and terrified Elite Four member: Aaron. Mars threw out her five Pokémon.

“What?” Aaron exclaimed. “What are you doing? My battles are one-on-one.” Mars picked Aaron up telekinetically and pinned him against a wall. His Pokémon sprang out to defend him, and they held their own against Mars’. But once Mars lent power to her Pokémon, the tide of the battle turned, and Aaron’s Pokémon were defeated.

Mars emanated a psychic command, loud enough for the whole building to hear: Let me challenge the champion, and no one gets hurt.

The rest of the Elite Four soon came to Aaron’s rescue, but Bertha’s ground-types, Flint’s fire-types, and even Lucius’ types were brought down just as easily by Mars’ enhanced team.

Let me challenge the champion, and no one gets hurt, Mars repeated. Her Purugly, its hair standing up from the power and sheer adrenaline, hissed at the pinned-up elite four. Do I have to start hurting them? Bring me the champion!

“Stop right there,” came a voice. Mars looked over to its source: a pubescent boy, determination etched into his features as he stepped through the door: Champion Lucas, with Giratina at his left and his nervous torterra at his right. “Whoever you are, if you’ve come here for a battle, you’ve got one. You, me, tournament rules, on Champion’s Platform. And once I defeat you, you’ll go straight to jail for hurting people. You got it?”

Mars put down the Elite Four members. All were in hushed silence. Lucas had acted out of desperation to get Mars to quit holding people hostage, and everyone knew what he’d put at stake: his Champion title. Most likely, he didn’t think Mew2.1 could be stopped if it weren’t bound to tournament rules. As for Mars, she sure wouldn’t mind taking his title- and the regional power that came with it- as a neat little bonus. She smiled and gave a stiff nod.

Mars, the Champion and the Elite Four crowded into the glass elevator, hearts pounding as it went through the floor where Champion Cynthia had once terrorized her challengers. 

The Pokémon League had been rebuilt since Cynthia’s defeat, an arena built stories above the rest of the league on an elevated platform made of several feet of strong glass rimmed with black stone: an arena where Giratina didn’t have to hold back. As the others took shelter in the black stone viewing room, Mars floated over that field of glass, heavily cracked by many battles, and took her place. Her Pokémon gathered behind her- still relatively fresh, and still enhanced. There was no rule, to her knowledge, of keeping Pokémon out between battles, and their enhancements wouldn’t fade unless they were returned to their balls.

Ready? Mars asked, looking into Lucas’ eyes. His face read as suave, confident, unreadable- like he was styling himself after Cynthia and trying to convince everyone that he had things under control. But his fists were balled up and shaking at his sides.

“Ready,” Lucas breathed, throwing out a milotic with leftovers tied around its neck with a red ribbon.

Mars ordered her luxray forward.

“Toxic,” Lucas ordered, sounding the calmest he’d been since he’d shown up.

Milotic spat acid at Luxray, and it struck- not hard enough to knock her down, but hard enough to poison. Lucas’ play was obvious- make use of Milotic’s defensive prowess and play the long game. No doubt it had helped him defend his title countless times before, as it had Cynthia’s before him.

Mars issued the psychic order to use thunder. Sparks rippled across Luxray’s red-streaked mane, and it reared up and released a bolt thicker than a decades-old tree. Milotic fell like a fragile deck of cards, and Lucas’ face fell with it, leaving him looking like the terrified little boy who’d taken on Team Galactic no more than a year ago.

The battle drew on, quick, desperate and brutal. His torterra took out her luxray with a sinlge earthquake. Her crobat survived a stone edge and took it out with two hurricanes. His mammoswine took out her crobat. And on it went. New cracks split across the glass as the two battled over the fate of the region. Of Mars’ friend. Of the championship. Of Team Galactic’s chances of surviving a war with Team Rocket. Of, potentially, the world. And behind its trainer, Giratina loomed, watching with rapt, red eyes.

Finally, after Mars’ Purugly caught Mesprit in its claws and mauled it to its defeat, Giratina was the only Pokémon left in Lucas’ roster.

I know it’s you, Mars, Giratina’s voice boomed, reverberating in her mind. Your team… the man I imprisoned… you awoke me from my slumber and caused me such hate that I left my dimension to rot in order to protect yours at this boy’s side. I will NEVER allow you to endanger this living world! Not while I still stand!

Giratina surged forward and grabbed purugly in its shadowy wing, hurling it against the glass wall. Purugly sprang back with a shadow claw, purple claws raking grey neck skin. Giratina reared up, grabbed Purugly by the scruff, and shook her until she was out of commission.

Step forward! Giratina demanded, still reared up. It looked taller than a one-story house, and its voice was deep and distorted.

Mars looked down at the arena: at that white line that dictated where trainers stood safely and where Pokémon fought, and stepped over it, declaring herself free game.

With a flap of its mighty wings, Giratina threw itself at Mew2.1. Mars dodged it faster than seemed possible, leaving Giratina careening towards the glass barrier. It turned and pushed off towards her. Mars readied a beam of energy- ice beam, probably, by its blue colour. It hit. Giratina slowed, stopped, was pushed back. Mars intensified her effort, strengthening her stance. It was ice beam- she could tell that now that she had an instant to think instead of instinctualize. Feet planted firm, watching Giratina writhe, she wondered if she’d done it.

Then, she felt the ground open up beneath her. Suddenly, she was plunging into that white space between worlds, and Giratina was rushing right at her. It grabbed her with its golden claws, and suddenly she was being pulled between realms. Her skin felt like it was being pulled off from the pressure, like she was being pulled through walls.

This isn’t worth the rules! Giratina screamed in a voice half human, half animalistic and all distorted almost beyond comprehension. I’ll destroy you atom by atom! I’ll kill you, like you tried to kill everyone!

Mars sent a burst of psychic energy through Giratina’s chest, knocking it away from her. It tumbled through a milk-white sky of the in-between as Mars kept pelting bursts of energy at it. Then, it regained its bearings and shot a hyperbeam at her from its mouth. Mars shot out of the way, flying through the void at max thrust- that beam looked strong enough to kill her, and though moving in this realm was easier than it had ever been before, it still felt like moving through gelatin. Speed alone wouldn’t win this. She swooped underneath Giratina and then over it, forcing it to do backflips as it attempted to keep aiming at her. It roared in frustration before seeming to wise up. Black shadow emanated from its body, filling the space at an alarming rate. Not knowing what was happening, Mars oriented herself: she could see the place where the in-between gave way to the Distortion World, and she shot off for it.

Mars broke through that one last barrier to the Distortion World and landed on a floating island, taking the moment to catch her breath and do some quick healing. The dusky purple sky seemed to be growing darker, until in the blink of an eye, it brightened back to normal. If Mars had to guess, she’d say that Giratina had realized she wasn’t there, had stopped doing whatever it had been doing, and was coming for her. Sure enough, Giratina burst into the realm a few dozen feet in front of her, and the chase was on. Mars flew through the realm, dodging rocky islands and beams of energy that Giratina sent after her. She caught one of the floating islands in her telekinesis and shot it back at the beast. It took the blow and kept coming, stretching out its tentacles and seeming no slower than before. 

If it catches me, I’m dead. I need a finishing blow, and now! Mars thought as she fled. Then she remembered the giant island she’d first landed on, its bottom covered in crystal stalactites. She circled back to the rift that Giratina had opened, picked up the island, sent it flying, and prayed.

The floating island struck Giratina in the chest like a comet, sharp stalactites getting stuck in its ectoplasm. Giratina flew backward, tumbling into the between. Mars shot after it, shooting projectiles until the great beast hit the barrier that separated the in between from her world. She planted her hand on Giratina’s chest and sent a burst of energy through it, forcing him through the second barrier. Before Mars was even aware of it, she and Giratina were in the blue sky of her world- her levitating, and Giratina tumbling down to the field of green below. It hit the earth, kicking up dust like a downed oak. And it did not move.

I won, Mars thought. I won! It probably wouldn’t make her a champion since they’d both definitely left the arena, but everything else she’d set out to do? She’d done it. She pumped her fist and let herself flip backwards in the air before realizing that she still had to get down there and bargain with the dragon.

Mars started lowering herself downwards, taking in the environment. The only landmark in sight was Pokémon League, its spire poking up between the stony hills that surrounded the grassy area. It seemed like she’d have some privacy to settle things with Giratina. She landed before it. Its eyes were half-lidded, and its expression almost reminded Mars of a guilty growlithe. It stayed passive even as Mars put her hand against its forehead.

You will do as I command, Mars said to the beast, not unkindly. In exchange, I will spare your life.

What… do you command? came the echoey and defeated voice of Giratina.

Cyrus, she said simply. I want him here, alive, healthy, uninjured, and safe. And then I want you to escort us to the edge of Oreburgh City and leave.

Giratina planted its mighty feet and, with pain, rose to its full height. It opened a portal to the dusky realm. Tentacles of shadow emerged from its chest, and it reached into the Distortion World. Mars peered into the portal, and within a minute, the tentacles returned, one now wrapped around Cyrus’ limp and unconscious body and the other surrounded with what looked like a dust-filled wind. Most of his face had begun to distort by now, and his hand no longer resembled a hand but rather a red and skin-coloured pixelated mess, but the strange “dust” was finding its way onto him, rebuilding what was lost until he was freshly scarred where the distortion had been, but otherwise unharmed.

Giratina dragged him unceremoniously onto the grass and glared at Mars. It is done. He will awaken once you are transported to Oreburgh, no less intact than the day you lost,  Giratina explained.

Thank you, Mars said. One more thing. I want the ability to call on you.

Giratina snarled at the thought. You may have forced my hand, but you will not ever force me to serve you.

Not to hurt others, Mars explained. To protect Mew2.1 from falling into the wrong hands. Team Rocket is after it, and they want to use it to take over the world. I want a pact that I can call on you to keep it from them. Nothing else. Any other reason, you don’t have to come.

A low growl emanated from Giratina. Then, a flute of black glass appeared in Mew2.1’s hands. This flute can sense your intentions, Giratina stated. Any purpose but the one you stated, and it will break and embed every shard of itself through the caller’s skin and into their bones. Further, while I will help you to vanquish Team Rocket when needed, I will turn on you as soon as the deed is done. Do you understand?

Yes, Mars stated. Unfortunately, she’d bet on Team Galactic’s chances against Girtina before she trusted them to take on Team Rocket.

Very well. Giratina’s eyes bore down into Mars’, red and round and animalistic. You are a fool. You risked your life for this… broken, morally bankrupt wretch, and you seek to finish his work. I wish to believe that I have seen the last of you, Mars, but I doubt that I will be so lucky.